TRADEMARK USAGE GUIDELINES
As PMI grows and becomes more widely recognized and respected as the world’s leading professional association in the area
of project management, its trademarks increase in value, and PMI must use its best efforts to protect them. Everyone can help
in these efforts by properly using and attributing PMI trademarks in accordance with the guidelines provided here.
These guidelines apply to PMI employees, members, volunteers, components, Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s),
credential holders, licensees, and other third parties. However, individuals or organizations that are under a license agreement
with PMI, should follow the special guidelines provided to them pursuant to that agreement. The guidelines provided herein
will be modified by PMI as necessary.
The following items provide general guidance for the proper use of PMI trademarks, but they are not intended to be a
comprehensive guide for all legal uses. Please refer to the PMI List of Marks for additional information. Any remaining
questions regarding proper use of PMI marks, or any questions relating to PMI copyrighted materials, should be directed to the
Legal Department at PMI.
1.
Avoid using PMI marks to refer to your own goods or services. Third parties may not incorporate any PMI
mark into their own product names, services, trademarks, logos, company names, domain names or URL’s.
Registered Education Providers, colleges and training centers may continue to use PMI’s credential marks in course
headings, i.e., “PMP® Exam Prep 101,” provided notice is given that the mark is owned by PMI.
2.
Avoid using marks that are confusingly similar to PMI’s marks.
3.
Avoid altering any PMI mark. PMI marks or logos may not be changed in any way. They must be used
exactly as they appear on the PMI List of Marks or in accordance with any special instructions previously provided to
you, e.g., under license.
4.
Avoid using the PMI Logo without authorization. Only third parties expressly authorized by PMI to do so
(i.e., by executed written agreement) may use the PMI logo. In such cases, only the PMI approved artwork for the
specific logo may be used.
5.
Avoid using the PMP Logo without authorization. Only PMP credential holders in good standing are
authorized to use the PMP logo, which may only be used on business cards in close proximity to the credential
holder’s name.
6.
Always use the proper trademark notice with PMI marks.
a.
Which notice to use after a mark depends on the registration status of the mark. The symbol ® should only
appear with a mark that has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the trademark office of
another country; TM may appear after an unregistered mark that is used on either goods or services; and SM may
appear after an unregistered mark that is used specifically in connection with services.
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b.
When the notice should appear depends on where the mark appears in a work. It is never wrong to use the ®
symbol whenever a registered mark is used in connection with the goods or services for which it is registered.
However, for simplicity’s sake PMI’s style in most instances is to use the symbol with the mark when it first
appears in the work.
The first appearance of a PMI mark in any physical or electronic document, publication or communication shall
carry the appropriate superscripted trademark symbol (TM, SM, ®). There are two exceptions: PMBOK, which
carries the superscripted ® after the mark in all instances, and the slogan “Making project management
indispensable for business results.®,” which should carry the ® flush with the baseline of the phrase instead of
superscripted.
For PMI’s serial publications, the appropriate symbols can be used with the marks once per article (the first
appearance, short article) or more often (the first appearance per page), if it seems warranted. For Web content,
the appropriate symbols should appear with the marks on the first appearance per Web page.
7.
Always use PMI marks when referring to PMI goods and services. Third parties are free to use PMI text
marks (i.e., not logos) to refer to PMI products and services, as long as such references are truthful, fair, not
misleading and comply with these guidelines.
8.
Always use the ® after the mark “PMI” but not after PMI’s initials. Trade names are the business names of
companies and are often used as trademarks as well. If the acronym “PMI” is being used as a noun, it is being used
as a trade name rather than as a trade or service mark. Since it is a noun, the trade name “PMI” can be used in the
possessive case, while the trademark cannot. Below are examples of proper use:
The PMI® Certification Program is recognized worldwide.
PMI is the world’s leading association relating to project management.
Project Management Institute (PMI), Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299.
PMI’s trademarks are among its most valued assets.
9.
Always use PMI credentials properly. PMI credentials may only be used by authorized individuals to
show that they have met their respective certifications. A credential appears immediately following a certificate
holder’s name, for example on business cards. Used in this manner, the trademark registration symbol and
attribution statement need not appear, even though PMI credentials may be registered as trademarks. Any certified
individual whose certification has lapsed should immediately discontinue using the credential.
10.
Always use the generic term after a word mark wherever possible. To be properly protected, a word mark
(a mark that is not a slogan or logo) should not be used as a noun – it should be used as an adjective followed by a
generic noun, e.g., PMBOK® Guide, PMP® certification, PMI® seminars, PULSE OF THE PROFESSION® reports, etc.
Therefore, use of “PMP” and “PMPs” is discouraged in favor of “PMP® credential holders.”
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11.
Always use the registration symbol ® only when a mark is used with its registered goods or services.
When a registered mark is properly used in connection with goods or services for which it is registered, the
registration symbol ® should be used. If a registered mark is being used in connection with products or services for
which it is not registered, TM should be used instead of ®. PMI staff should contact the Legal Department to register
any PMI mark being used on additional goods or services.
12.
Always use marks in their proper format. A mark that has been registered in a specific format should bear
the superscripted registration symbol ® only when used in that particular format. Conversely, text-only marks, such as “PMI”
or “PMBOK” may be used with the superscripted registration symbol ® in either stylized or typed format.
13.
Always provide an attribution statement when using PMI marks. Each document or product in which any
PMI mark appears (e.g., in marketing materials, white papers, advertisements, news releases, brochures, Web pages,
etc.), whether in print or electronic form, should contain an attribution statement at or near the first appearance of the
mark, or if multiple marks appear, in a logical and prominent place within the document.
a.
Registered Marks. Registered marks are marks that are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office. If the PMI List of Marks indicates that the mark is registered, the attribution statement should include
the word “registered,” as follows:
“PMI” and “PMP” are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
b.
Unregistered Marks or a Combination. If the marks are not registered, or if the attribution statement includes
both registered and unregistered marks, the word “registered” should be omitted, as follows:
“PMI,” “PMP” and “PMI CAREER HEADQUARTERS” are marks of Project Management Institute,
Inc.
c.
Human Systems International Limited marks. The attribution statement for Human Systems International
marks is as follows:
“The Human Systems International Logo” is a mark of Human Systems International Limited.
14.
Always report any suspected infringement of PMI’s marks to the Legal Department at legal@pmi.org.
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